Catheter placement apparatus



United States Patent Inventor Richard B. Farb Chicago, Illinois Appl. No. 737,902

Filed June 18, 1968 Patented Oct. 27, 1970 Assignee Baxter Laboratories, Inc.

Morton Grove, Illinois a corporation of Delaware CATHETER PLACEMENT APPARATUS 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 128/214.4

Int. Cl A6lm 5/00 Field ofSearch 128/214, 214.4, 349

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,390,677 7/1968 Razimbaud 128/214 3,463,152 8/1969 Sorenson l28/2l4.4

Primary ExaminerWarner H. Camp Att0rneysWalter Kehm and Richard J. Reilly ABSTRACT: A guard for covering the incising end of a withdrawn vessel breaching cannula used in catheter placement is extendable to a protective position in which it can be irreversibly locked by rotation relative a housing about said cannula and from which said guard is projectable.

Patented Oct. 27, 1970 INVENTOR Rum-man B. FARB ATTY.

CATHETER PLACEMENT APPARATUS The present invention relates to catheter placement. Particularly the invention relates to disposable apparatus including an instrument for breaching the wall of an organ and enabling catheter placement within the lumen of the organ.

ln apparatus of the indicated class the breaching instrument is an elongated tubular member or cannula having an axial bore which provides a path for guiding a catheter into the lumen of an organ. The cannula is fashioned with an incising forward end section for cutting the wall of an organ for obtaining access to its lumen. Once the catheter suitably has been placed in the lumen, the utility of the cannula is terminated and its removal from the organ is desirable to prevent tissue damage. I-Idwever, conventionally its removal from the catheter is prevented because the catheter is connected at a remote point to a large container such as a parenteral solution bottle. Accordingly, the cannula, following removal from the organ, remains disposed about the catheter, with attendant likelihood of catheter damage from the exposed incising cannula end section.

Various expedients are suggested in the prior art for covering the incising end section of a cannula. However, none is entirely satisfactory to securely hold a cover or guard over the incising end of a cannula, after the latter has fulfilled its purpose and is withdrawn away from the incision along the catheter.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved catheter placement apparatus.

It is another object of the invention to permanently lock a guard over the incising end of a cannula following use to prevent damage to adjacent parts.

It is a further object of the invention to prevent damage to a catheter by the incising end of a cannula employed in catheter placement.

To effect the foregoing objects. placement apparatus defined by a hollow tissue breaching member having an elongated hollow body for guiding a catheter into the lumen of an organ and an incising end section for penetrating the wall of the organ to obtain access to its lumen is characterized by a housing. The housing projects from an end portion of said member which is distal to the incising end section and terminates short thereof. A tubular guard is arranged for movement in the housing axially of the body between a first position in which the incising end section is exposed and a second position in which the incising end section is covered. Moreover, means associated with the housing are adapted for irreversibly securing the guard in said second position.

How the foregoing and other objects, features and advantages, of the invention are further achieved will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and appended claims, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference character or numeral refers to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of apparatus according to the present invention and showing an organ breaching member with its incising end in tissue penetrating aspect, parts broken away for illustration;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a guard comprising said apparatus partially in elevation and extended into covering condition and in a locked angular aspect (being 90 from the angular aspect thereof shown in FIG. 1);

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of said guard disposed at angular aspect illustrated in FIG. 1, parts broken away for illustration;

FIG. 4 is an end view according to the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view according to the line 6-6 of FIG. 2, however the angular aspect of said guard being as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view according to the line 6-6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is an end view of said guard according to the line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown catheter placement apparatus generally designated 10 and comprised of a tubular, preferably rigid, penetrating member or cannula 12 which may be fashioned like a hypodermic syringe needle. Member 12 has an elongated tric association with the cannula. The housing has an outer or rear end portion 22 which is rigidly secured to hub 16 from which the cannula 12 projects through a forward housing opening 28, which opening is located short of incising end section 14. By reason thereof end section 14 projects forwardly from said housing thereby enabling breach of the wall of an organ.

Cannula 12 is adapted as a guide for a flexible catheter 18 which can be threaded through hollow 15 into the lumen of an organ while cannula penetrated. Once catheter 18 has been placed the utility of cannula I2 ceases and its removal is indicated to minimize tissue damage from this rigid member. Therefore, the cannula conventionally will be withdrawn from the organ, moving it axially of the catheter which remains in place. Unfortunately, it may be impractical to remove the cannula from the catheter because the latter may be connected at its organ distal end to a large container (not shown) for fluid administration.

To prevent cutting of the catheter, a guard 24 in the form of a sleeve of generally cylindrical configuration is disposed in the chamber 26 defined by housing 20 about and in concentric association with cannula 12. Said guard is arranged for movement within chamber 26 and axially of cannula 12 through opening 28 between a first position (FIG. I) in which incising end section 14 is exposed and a second position (FIG. 2) in which the incising end section is covered.

Guard 24 has a reduced forward end portion 32 (FIG. 3) which normally projects forward from housing 20 when said guard is in its first position. It also has a medial portion 34 of enlarged radial dimension which extends axially for a substantial length of chamber 26 when said guard is in its first position. A head or abutment section 36 defines the rear end portion of said guard. An integral locking section 38, disposed between abutment section 36 and the medial portion 34, comprises locking means for permanently locking said housing to said guard in a manner which will hereinafter become more fully apparent.

A pair of diametrically spaced dogs 30 which are fashioned integrally within housing 20 at its forward end project into opening28. Dogs 30 comprise means associated with housing 20 for irreversibly securing guard 24 when in its second position to said housing. While guard 24 is in its first position, dogs 30 are slidably engaged in a pair of diameterically opposed axially extending guide slots 42 formed in the medial portion 34 of the guard to enable extension of said guard from its first position to its second position. Extension of guard 24 from housing 20 is limited and separation of those parts is accordingly prevented by head or abutment section 36 which is fashioned for engagement with dogs 30 with housing 20 when th guard is in its second position. In the latter position dogs 30 are engaged with a pair of flat surfaces 44 fashioned on locking section 38. While dogs 30 are engaged in slots 42 relative rotation of the housing and guards also is prevented.

The parts are proportioned to permit relative rotary movement of the guard and housing once the dogs have moved out of slots 42. By reason thereof the guard can be permanently locked to the housing. To that end locking section 38 and the dogs 30 are relatively compressible. Moreover, slots 42 terminate at the locking section. However, the base of each slot is coextensive with one of the flat surfaces 44. Each is formed by removing an extension of a corresponding slot 42 while retaining the extension 46 (FIGS. 5 and 6) of wall 50 of such slot. Accordingly, rotary motion of the guard 24 clockwise with respect to FIG. 5 is prevented by extensions 46, whereas, such motion is enabled in an opposite angular direction. At the end of of each flat surface 44 opposite its adjacent extension 46, the locking section has an arcuate surface 52 which is proportioned to enable passage thereover of a corresponding dog 30 as the guard is rotated from its first angular aspect (FIGS. 1 and 5) to its'second angular aspect (FIGS. 2 and 6). A snap groove 54 fashioned in locking section 28 at the downstream end of each arcuate surface is proportioned for permanent snap-in reception of a corresponding of dogs 30 upon counterclockwise rotation of the guard from its first angular aspect to its second angular aspect. Thereby, guard 24 will be permanently locked in its second position.

From the foregoing, it is appreciated that catheter placing assembly 10 initially is disposed as illustrated in FIG. 1. Thereafter, following breaching of the wall of an organ by cannula l2 and while the latter remains in breaching condition, catheter 18 is placed through hollow into the lumen of such organ. Then the cannula is removed from the organ axially of the catheter, and guard 24, which thereto had been for the most part disposed in housing 20 as in FIG. 1 is manually projected to its second position. During such projection relative angular movement of the housing 20 and guard 24 is prevented by engagement of dogs 30 in slots 42. However, this restraint terminates when the guard first reaches its second position at which time the guard will be in its first angular aspect. By then applying adequate manual torque to the guard counterclockwise with respect to FIG. 5, it will be moved to its second angular aspect and then permanently locked condition. lf placement apparatus 10 is intended to be disposable, there is no requirement for an unlocking facility.

As many substitutions or changes could be made in the above described construction, and as many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention within the scope of the claims could be constructed without departing from the scope and spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as being illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lclaim:

1. ln catheter placement apparatus, including a hollow vessel penetrating member with an elongated hollow body for guiding a catheter, said member having an incising end for penetration of an organ to obtain access to a lumen therein and an opposed end portion distal said incising end, the combination comprising:

A housing disposed about and afiixed to said penetrating member and projecting toward but terminating short of said incising end; said housing and hollow penetrating member being unattached to and longitudinally movable along a catheter disposed through said elongated hollow body of the penetrating member;

a tubular guard arranged for movement in said housing axially of said body between a first position in which the incising end is exposed and a second position in which said incising end is covered; and

Means for securing said guard in said second position.

2. A combination according to claim 1 in which said guard, when in said second position, is provided with means permitting rotary movement in said housing, said securing means being fashioned for irreversible movement to be permanently locked in said second position upon relative rotation of said housing and said guard.

3. A combination according to claim 2 in which said securing means comprises a dog carried from said housing and a snap-in groove defined by said guard for engaging said dog to permanently lock said guard, said means permitting rotary movement of the guard in said housing including an arcuate surface defined on said guard to permit passage thereover of said dog as the guard is rotated into said permanently locked sition.

4. A combination according to claim 3 in which said securing means is of compressible fabrication and is actuated by moving said guard from its first to its second position, said positions being longitudinally spaced from each other, and thereafter rotating said guard.

5. A combination according to claim 1 in which said hous ing is concentric with said member and has a distal end portion secured to the opposed end portion of said member.

6. A combination according to claim 1 in which said housing has an incising-end-proximate portion concentric with said vessel penetrating member from which said vessel penetrating member projects outwardly, said securing means comprising a pair of diametrically spaced dogs extending from said incisingend-proximate portion and a pair of diametrically spaced snap-in grooves defined by said guard for cooperating with said dogs to irreversibly secure said guard in the second position upon rotation thereof, said first and second positions being spaced axially and said guard being movable axially therebetween, a pair of diametrically opposed, axially extending guide slots arranged for cooperation with said dogs to prevent guard rotation relative said housing except when said guard is disposed in the second position, said snap-in grooves being defined by a locking section of said guard which is fabricated of compressible material, said dogs being also fabricated of compressible material. 

